macfarlane



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1..

J. MAGPARLANE.

IJFB PRESERVER BACK AND ALARM. No. 391,376. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.v J. MAOFARLANE.

LIFE PRESERVBR BACK AND ALARM.

No. 891,376. Patenjzed Oct. 16, 1888. 2

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TINTTED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JOHN MAOFARLANE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF FOUR-FIFTHS TO NICHOLAS LOOHBOEHLER, GEORGE J. BESSLER, JOSEPH O. TAYLOR, AND JAMES M. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

LIFE-PRESERVER RACK AND ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,376, dated October 16, 1888.

Application filed Jul: 6, 1888. Serial No. 279,220. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OI-IN MACFARLANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have in- 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preserver Racks and Alarms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is in the nature of a rack for containing or holding life-preservers on vessels, and an alarm connected therewith.

The object of my invention is to furnish all passenger-steamers with racks in which lifepreservers may be stored away overhead, (as is usual in vessels as now constructed) which racks shall be furnished with movable supporting devices which may be readily and easily manipulated, so that the life-preservers contained therein will be dropped to the deck, and to furnish, in connection with such improved racks, alarms for use especially in state- 25 rooms, (to be operated from the outside thereof,) whereby the occupant of the state-room may be warned at the approach of danger, and

have life-preservers dropped in readiness for use.

WVith the foregoing object in view my invention consists in the improved construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

35 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a double rack made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the same on the line m of Fig. 1, showing also a seetional view of the floor or deck above. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a single rack made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a section through a state-room, showing my improved rack and alarm in position 45 for use. Fig. 5 is a view of the outside of two adjoining state-rooms, showing the means for simultaneously operating the racks and alarms of two or more state-rooms at one time from the outside. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of one of the elbow-levers for operating the stateroom racks and alarms from the outside. Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the brackets in which the said elbow-levers are pivotally supported. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the hooks to be used on a square tripping-rod of a single rack, as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a similar view of a hook of the same description for use on a round rod. Fig. 10 is a similar view of a double hook (for use in a double rack, as seen in Fig. 1) to be used on a round tripping-rod. Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of a double rack. Fig. 12 is a vertical section through the same on the line y y of Fig. 11, and Fig. 13 is a vertical section taken on the lines 2 z of Figs. 11 and 12.

Like figures of reference mark the same parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the various figures of the drawings by figures of reference, 1 is the deck of a vessel. 2 and 3 are its supporting-joists.

4 is a piece let in between two joists, or it may represent a joist where they are close together.

5, 6, 7, S, 9, and 10 are longitudinal slats forming the racks, connected at their ends by cross-strips 11, 12, 13, and 14.

In the double rack shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the racks are hinged to the joists 2 and 3 by means of hinges or eyebolts, as shown, eye- 8 bolts 15 and 16, 17 and 18, 19 and 20, 21 and 22 forming the fourhinges necessary, although where the racks are long more may be desirable.

23 and 24, 25 and 26 are eyebolts set in the 85 outer slats, 7 and S, of the racks, and 27 and 28 are eyebolts set in the intermediate piece orjoist, 4.

29 is a rod set parallel to the joists and strips, and resting in the eyebolts 27 and 28,in which it may slide. It is held normally in a position (to the left, as shown in Fig. 1) by a spring, 30, one end bearing against the eyebolt 29, while the other bears against a pin or other stop, 31, projecting from the rod. At the right end of the rod is an eye or other suitable construction, 32, to receive a cord or handle.

33 and 34 are double hooks, formed as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 10, which are secured to the rod 29 so that they may slide thereon. This Ice sliding motion is limited by springs 36 and 37, resting between said hooks, and stops 38 and 39, which springs tend to press these hooks normally to the left against stops 40 and 41, as shown, but admit of their being moved to the right singly or together, as shown. 7

In the single rack shown in Fig. 3 the parts are all similar in construction and marked the same as the upper rack in Fig. 1, except that single hooks 42 and 43 are used instead of double hooks 33 and 34. In Fig. 9 I show this single hook to work on a round rod, but prefer a square rod with the hook shown in Fig. 8.

In the constructions shown on a smaller scale in Figs. 4 and 5 the parts of the rack are the same as those shown in Fig. 3, just described, marked with figures of reference only so far as is necessary, the rod 29 and hooks 42 and 43 being kept normally to the right by the springs, instead of to the left. To the left, being the end of this rod nearest the door of the state-room, is attached a chain or cord, 44, which passes over a pulley, 45, and has a branch, 46, hanging down and provided with a suitable handle, 47, and another branch, 48, passing through the front wall of the stateroom, outside of which it is secured to the upper end, 49, of an elbow-lever, 50, pivoted at its angle 51 in a bracket, 52, secured to the outside of the wall. Rods 53 pass through the outer ends, 54, of the elbow-levers which operate the racks of several adjoining staterooms. At the inner ends of these rods 29 in the state-rooms is a cord or chain, 55, connecting it to the striker of an alarm bell or gong, 56.

I In Figs. 11, 12, and 13 I have shown a slightly-modified form of double rack, intended to be placed between joists wide apart and to hold only. two life-preservers. I show, also,

how the racks may be made of wire-netting of staples or other fastenings, 58. From this rod project downward lugs 59. Mounted in brackets 60, hanging from joist or piece 4, is a bolt, 61, having spring 62, beveled end 63, pin 64, and upward-projecting lug 65. This bolt lies with its beveled end in the path traversed by the beveled ends of the side pieces, 11, 12, 13, and 14, in the act of closing, and the lug bears against the lug 59 of the rod 29. The spring 62,bearing against bracket 60 and pin 64, causes the bolt to be held normally but yieldingly forward, (to the right in Fig. 13,) the contact of lugs 59 and 65 causing the rod 29 to be held in the same position. The

rod 29 and bolt 61 both have handles, so that they may be operated by hand from below, and cords or chains leading to any suitable station, as on deck or in the pilot-house. Cords or chains may connect several bolts or chains 61 in a series, so that they may be operated simultaneously, especially when two latches or bolts are used on each set of racks.

The operation of my invention will be fully understood from this description, in connection with the drawings.

In the racks shown in Figs. 1 to 5 a single pull by the officer of the deck, the pilot, or other person will withdraw the supports of one side of the racks, and thelife-preservers stored thereon will be dropped on the floor ready for use, thus avoiding the waste of time, the trouble,and the'danger involved in the present method of storing thelife-preservers. In many cases, in the racks as now constructed, it is well-nigh impossible for the passengers to be supplied with lifepreservers, owing greatly to the fact that in storingthem they are jammed in so tight that they can hardly be gotten out without tearing down the slats.

Should danger arise and it become necessary to arouse the sleeping occupants of the state-rooms, an officer of the boat, or any other person aware of the danger, can in a very short space of time sound an alarm in every stateroom and drop the life-preservers therein on the floor, so that they will be ready for instant use by simply passing through the cabin and pulling downward upon the rods 53, each pull of'which drops the life-preservers and sounds the alarm in several adjoining state-rooms, so that a person may pass through the cabin on this duty at a very rapid pace. Repetition of the operation of pulling downward on these rods repeats the alarm after the racks have dropped the life'preservers;

The provision of theindependently-movable spring-pressed hooks on the operating-rods enables a person in placing life-preservers in the racks to adjust each book separately in its eye when desired, especially when, as may often happen, the whole series of hooks may not properly register with the eyes after use.

The overlapping ends of the racks shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13 allow one rack to be put up while adjusting a life-preserver in the other in readiness to put it up, leaving the hands free for that purpose.

The advantage of my improved racks over anything now in use will be obvious and need no further enumeration.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In combination, two joists, a rack hinged to one of them and having eyes at its free edge,

a rod mounted in ways on the other joist, hooks sliding longitudinally upon said rod to engage the eyes on the rack, and springs to normally maintain said engagement, as set forth.

2. In combination, three joists, two racks hinged to the two outer joists and having eyes srs'ie 3 at their free edges, a single rod mounted in ways upon the central joist, double hooks ing cords passing into the cabin, an elboW-le- 15 ver pivoted on a horizontal pivot outside the state-room, Whose up-arm is connected to the end of said cord, and a rod passing through the ends of the horizontal arms of several adjacent elbow-levers, as and for the purpose set 20 forth.

In testimony whereof I a'lfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MAOFARLANE.

\Vitnesses:

SHIPLEY BRASHEARS, FRED. R. CORNWALL. 

